On Monday, Hashem Abedi, the brother of the Manchester Arena’s bomber Salman Abedi, admitted for the first time his involvement in planning the 2017 attack, which killed 22 people.
Abedi, 23, made the admission in October, while in prison, as he was visited by two members of the public inquiry’s legal team, according to the Telegraph.
He had previously pleaded not guilty earlier this year to 22 counts of murder, attempted murder, and plotting to cause an explosion likely to endanger life. He did not give evidence at the Old Bailey but provided a prepared defence statement in which he denied involvement, claimed to have been “shocked” by what his brother had done, and said he did not hold extremist views.
He went on to be convicted by a jury of all the offenses and was given 24 life sentences in August, with a minimum term of 55 years before being eligible for parole.
On 22 October, Abedi was interviewed in prison where he admitted he played “a full and knowing part”, the inquiry was told.
Abedi had been in Libya at the time of the attack but was suspected by the police of having played an integral part in the planning and preparation of the bombing. He was eventually extradited by the authorities in Tripoli, despite denying any knowledge or involvement in the attack. His admission was confirmed by Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Barraclough of the Greater Manchester Police, who was the senior investigating officer in the attack probe.
In a statement made to the police following his arrest, he insisted he had no involvement in his brother’s activities. He told officers, “During the last two years I have been held in Libya by a militia and subjected to torture. It has been a difficult time for me for a number of reasons.”